Students who have completed three (3) years of full-time, face-to-face secondary or post-secondary education in an English-speaking country where English is the primary language of instruction may meet VCC’s English language requirements by completing a high school or university English course with specific grades according to the program-specific English requirements stated in the above chart. Refer to the list of English-speaking countries.

High School English
The required high school English grades may vary by program. Refer to the English Entrance Requirements for International Students for program-specific requirements. English as a Second Language (ESL) and transfer (TS) courses from non-English speaking countries are not considered in the three-year calculation.

University English
Students who have completed an undergraduate English of three (3) credits in an English-speaking country may meet VCC’s English language requirements. The required grades vary by program. Refer to the above chart for program-specific university English requirements.

Canadian degree
Students who have been awarded a degree from an accredited Canadian post-secondary institution where English is the language of instruction may met the language proficiency requirements for VCC programs. University degrees with at least 3-years of face-to-face non-ESL instruction, obtained from an English-speaking country where English is the language of instruction, may be accepted as an equivalency.

Students who have not completed three (3) years of full-time, face-to-face secondary or post-secondary education in an English-speaking country where English is the primary language of instruction may meet VCC’s English language requirements with the following:

University English

Students who have completed an undergraduate English of three (3) credits in an English-speaking country may meet VCC’s English language requirements. The required grades vary by program. Refer to the above chart for program-specific university English requirements.

English Tests and Validity

External tests such as CAEL, Cambridge Assessment, IELTS and TOEFL are accepted, in addition to VCC’s English Assessments. External English test scores are valid for 2 years. The test scores must be valid at the time a complete application is received at VCC.

BC EAL Articulation

Students may meet VCC’s English language requirements by completing VCC English courses, or equivalent according to the BC EAL Articulation Guide.

Pathway certificates

ILAC and ILSC Pathway Certificates are valid for 2 years, and must be valid on the requested VCC program start dates.

Speaking and listening requirements can be satisfied through three years of full-time face-to-face secondary or post-secondary education at an accredited institution where English is the medium of instruction and is also one of the country’s official languages. ESL courses are not included in the three-year calculation.

List of English-Speaking Countries

American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malta, Mauritius, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Saint Helena, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, United States Virgin Islands, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Students from institutions accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and B.C. Certified Offshore Schools must meet the listening and speaking requirements for VCC programs.

CAEL (Canadian Academic English Language Test), Cambridge Assessment, Duolingo English Test, IELTS Academic and TOEFL iBT are accepted as external test options for meeting VCC's English entrance requirements. 

Remember to submit your test scores to VCC.